Operations

California Port Tightens Clean Air Standards for Trucks

The next step in the Clean Air Action Plan at Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will be to require all newly registering trucks to be model-year 2014 or newer.

Image via Clean Air Action Plan

The Ports of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach in Southern California will require all newly registered trucks servicing terminals at either port to be model year 2014 or newer as of Oct. 1.

The new requirement only applies to trucks registering in the Port Drayage Truck Registry for the first time. Trucks that are already registered as of Sept. 20 will be allowed to continue operating at the ports as long as they are current on their annual dues and compliant with emissions regulations set by the California Air Resources Board.

Currently, all trucks working the ports are required to be 2007 model year or newer and according to the PDTR, half of the trucks registered are at least 2010 model year or newer. About 17,000 trucks are registered to work in the San Pedro Bay port complex.

The new rules were adopted by both the Long Beach and Los Angeles boards of Harbor Commissioners in June and finalized in July. It is the first in a series of steps the ports are taking to advance clean truck progress under the 2017 Clean Air Action Plan Update, approved last November. The goal of the plan is to phase out older trucks with a goal of transitioning to zero-emission trucks by 2035.

The plan includes waiving the PDTR registration fee for near-zero and zero emissions trucks and charging a rate for cargo moves by trucks with exemptions for trucks that meet those same standards. The ports will conduct a truck rate study and feasibility assessments prior to proposing rate changes.

Unlike passenger vehicles, which require biennial smog checks in California, heavy-duty diesel trucks are not currently required to undergo regular emissions testing. That might change with the introduction of a bill in the state Senate.

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